Condensation

[Wamjue]

Hi everyone, has anyone ever fitted a revolving van style vent to a pop top to remove condensation caused by the simple act of breathing during a nights sleep, 2 adults and a small dog, please post any advice etc

 

[Jev88]

I crack a roof vent open - heat rises etc....

 

[Figaro]

Silver screens on the windscreen help a lot in one of the main sources of condensation

 

[Neil S]

A decent quality external screen cover such as Paragon Silvers screens or Taylormade will eliminate condensation on the inside of your windscreen and keep the interior warmer in winter time .
Don't be tempted to buy a cheap screen covers under £100 they are rubbish and thinly made

 

[Blue Moon]

Hi everyone, has anyone ever fitted a revolving van style vent to a pop top to remove condensation caused by the simple act of breathing during a nights sleep, 2 adults and a small dog, please post any advice etc

You mean a Flettner vent. Never seen one on a Moho before. As others have said, get yourself some decent thermal screen covers, condensation will be eliminated

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[Burge]

A decent quality external screen cover such as Paragon Silvers screens or Taylormade will eliminate condensation on the inside of your windscreen and keep the interior warmer in winter time .
Don't be tempted to buy a cheap screen covers under £100 they are rubbish and thinly made

Don't agree I have a Cheap Screen & have never had a problem with Condensation , so long as it's of good Quality

 

[LostInSpace]

There are lots of things which affect condensation.

I find the biggest is how dry the motorhome is which is affected by both lifestyle (showering, cooking, kettle, etc) and condition of motorhome.

To my mind, much more important than people breathing.

 

[Blisteringblue]

I bought a cheap thermal cover on Amazon and never had a problem with condensation.

 

[Pausim]

Hi and welcome Wamjue .

Thermal screens may reduce condensation on windows but the moisture remains in the air. The OP was asking about ventilating a pop top to get the moisture out of the sleeping area. Sorry I don’t know the answer to your problem.

 

[BouncyBoatFolk]

We have a simple square factory fit static air vent above one of the beds in our van. That seems to work adequately. My only issue with it was the amount of light that made it through the vents on early bright mornings. The simple cure to that was to place a layer of black finer screen inside the vent, which as a bonus also excluded even midges gaining entry.
If you have nothing, this might be a good starting point. A round one could be upgraded to a revolving one at a later date if needed,but, I'm not sure how much noise they might generate if it was particularly windy outside
Mike.

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[fishplug]

It's an interesting thought.

I've never seen a Flettner vent fitted to a camper van but it would certainly provide some level of ventilation.

However, I doubt that it would be sufficient to completely eliminate condensation on its own.

My reasoning for this is that those vents are reliant on air to propel them. Great while driving or on a windy day but of limited effectiveness on a still day.

I had a Maxxair fan in the old van which admittedly was on the other side of the van from the bed, but even with that set to extract air all night I still got condensation.

My plan to combat that on the current build is to properly separate and insulate the cab area from the hab space, put double glazed windows in and put a second Maxxair above the bed with one fan set to bring air in and the other to extract it in order to create air flow.

I suspect that a Flettner vent above the bed and some form of mechanical extraction at the other end of the van could give decent results.

It's all speculation though so would be very interested in the results if you do try it.

 

[dunnah01]

We run a 650w desiccant dehumidifier on low through most of winter to keep a check on condensation. We live in ours full time and create a lot of hot air

 

[pwilmo]

Yep, through the winter I also run a small desiccant dehumidifier/ Meaco Zambezi 8litre, not to remove moisture .. but for the circulation of air.

The oscillating fan doesn't heat but it circulates the air nicely and with the dropdown bed in low it keeps the mattress aired.

When motorhoming we don't take the dehumidifier; we use an external silver screen, close the curtains and thermal blinds on vents and windows ..it seems to work for us, even in the snotty wet weather we've just had.

 

[Coolcats]

Hi everyone, has anyone ever fitted a revolving van style vent to a pop top to remove condensation caused by the simple act of breathing during a nights sleep, 2 adults and a small dog, please post any advice etc

We had a T5 and as people say silver screens lifting the pop top etc does help but we found that Transporters do get damp. In addition to the condensation from breathing and general living if you have a pop top the canvas gets damp or wet and there is no where to dry it. One thing that helped a little was an 'air lock' although the device has different names. This cracks the tail gate open but keeps the ventilation in the van. This was one reason we upgraded to the Hymer Ayres Rock and have never been damp inside.

The "air lock" or "standoff lock"

 

[A S R]

Get rid of the dog! Clearly the source of all the moisture.
How is the build going Fil? Must be nearly finished by now shirley?

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[fishplug]

Ha! Not even close...

Sadly haven't been able to dedicate much time to it, barely any in fact.

Got new headliner (with shelves) installed and done some of the first fix electrics. Am just finishing prepping the floor today and hopefully getting it battened and readly for fresh ply.

MaxxAir fan installed and despite my usual silicone overkill, it was weeping slightly so I went full silicone monster at it yesterday which has hopefully fixed it.

The work that has been done is going to get undone. Batteries and electrics have been removed so I could get the floor up, and I'm changing my 3 x 100Ah batteries for a single Fogstar which is smaller and also has the low-temp feature that my Li-Times didn't.

Heater is coming out so that I can put some heat shield on the exhaust, solar is coming off so I can fit it much more compactly, which should allow for a second MaxxAir fan at the rear for better airflow.

I've done more in the last week than in the last year!

 

[Andy99]

I fitted a Solar Vent into the cab over roof. They are used on yachts. It's a small (6" diameter fitting) battery driven fan, with the battery charged by it's own little built in solar panel.
We leave it "on" all the time, so it continuously draws air out, very gently, no noticeable draught, and almost silent. The battery will last most of the night, and recharges when the sun comes up.
Not expensive, works well....

 

[akadingbat]

I fitted a Flettner vent above the bed and with that and a thick silver screen I do still get some condensation in the winter.

 

[MisterB]

would something like this work for you?

Maxair Maxxfan Dome 12v Vent for Campervan Motorhome Racevan RV shower bathroom | eBay

It operates from a 12V DC system and is simple to install and use. Simply press the unlock button, lift the lid and then turn the fan on using the on/off button situated next to the lifting handle (the fan should not be operated when the lid is closed).

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[Chris116]

Don't agree I have a Cheap Screen & have never had a problem with Condensation , so long as it's of good Quality View attachment 988693

That’s good news to know there are cheaper quality items out there. Can you recall what it’s called & where you got it from please?

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[Chris116]

I bought a cheap thermal cover on Amazon and never had a problem with condensation.

Thanks for the link

 

[Burge]

That’s good news to know there are cheaper quality items out there. Can you recall what it’s called & where you got it from please?

Sorry don't know of make as no Label on it , I got it off Ebay second hand, was lucky as was local pick up £30.

 

[Burge]

Thanks for the link

Sent you a PM